The aim of future smart and intelligent packaging is to have the packaging store a large amount of product information and deliver functionality in the form of customer interaction. For this purpose smart materials have been used in active packaging to respond to heat or pressure or environmental change. Intelligent packaging is more interactive, allowing the consumer to manipulate the packaging which then senses the input to relay product information.

A 2006 report from SMART.mat, one of the nodes of the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network, reviews materials used in smart packaging and highlights the key legislative, security and brand promotional aspects and areas of benefit to consumer packaging.

SMART.mat Project Director David Arthur describes the Smart Materials Structures and Surfaces Network's activities, which include conducting a packaging review, in 2006.

Stanlenco was commissioned by pharmaceutical company Rhone-Phoulenc Rorer to develop more effective tamper evident seals while at the same time maintaining product integrity. The result is the Aquasol - PulsLine label, a multi-layered construction that incorportates the overt and covert characteristics considered to be the best methods in making counterfeiting prohibitively complex and costly.

The Huhtamaki packaging solutions company has used thermochromic heat and reveal temperature responsive technology to experiment with branding products as a means of promotion. The personalisation of products involves incorporating temperature responsive labels into the design to reveal a hidden message only when the product is in use.